Aztecs Lock In on Transfer Portal Targets

After another banner post season that saw the San Diego State men’s basketball team achieve back to back Sweet-16 appearances for the first time in program history, Head Coach Brian Dutcher & staff are actively pursuing players in the transfer portal.

With several young players returning within the program and a few veteran players on the bubble to return, SDSU must round out the roster for the 2024-2025 season. Gone due to graduation from the program are All-American Jaedon LeDee, starting point guard Darrion Trammell, and transfer forward Jay Pal.

While transfer Reese Waters and back-to-back Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Lamont Butler both likely to return if NBA possibilities are not in favor this year, SDSU has 2 scholarships currently available after Cade Alger announced he would enter the portal and Micah Parrish also making himself open to that possibility.

One of the biggest needs for the Aztecs at this point, is a high assist to turnover point guard who can also shoot from distance. The Aztec coaches may have identified their guy in Florida Atlantic’s Nick Boyd.

Nick Boyd, Point Guard, FAU

Senior (2 years of eligibility.), 6’3, 175 pounds
2023-2024 Stats:
9.3 PTS, 2.7 TRB, 1.8 AST, 1.1 TOV
23.8 MPG, FG% 40, 3P% 34.1, FT% 84.2

Nick Boyd is currently on a visit with SDSU after visiting Louisville over the weekend. He has the dubious distinction of being the player who was guarding Lamont Butler’s buzzer beater in the Final Four semi-final game. He was a major contributor in FAU’s run to the Final Four in 2023 and lit the Aztecs up for 12 points on 4-7 shooting from 3 point range.

Boyd’s production dropped however in 2024 after a leg injury forced him out of the starting lineup after 3 games. He regained his starting position for 11 games but was again benched for the last 8 games of the season.

Despite returning their entire player rotation, FAU wasn’t able to repeat it’s magical run to the Final Four. They were eliminated in the first round by Northwestern.

On the surface, Boyd’s production in 2024 looked very average. However, when you dig deeper to find the splits between when he was a starter vs a reserve player, you find some good stuff. Boyd’s production as a starter in 2024 compared to his 2023 stats: shooting 40% from 3 point range with a 2.5 to 1 assist to turnover ratio and 1.4 steals per game.

Offensively: Boyd is particularly good at shooting off the dribble coming off pick and roll screens and his quick lefty release allows him to get shots off before defenders can react and contest his shots.

Defensively: Boyd also has very active hands like Darrion Trammell. He has the ability to pick the pocket of opponents and create fast break transition baskets.

With Trammell exhausting his eligibility and Lamont Butler debating whether to go pro or return for a COVID year, getting a player of Boyd’s talent at the point guard position is essential. Doing so may make the difference between the Aztecs contending for a Mountain West championship next season and extend their NCAA tournament streak or not.

Young guard BJ Davis is a promising sophomore, but the Aztecs have been successful in large part for having older guards mixed in with younger talent. A player with Boyd’s pedigree and postseason experience is exactly what the Aztecs need to reload in 2025.

SDSU hasn’t landed a player in the transfer portal yet. Early portal targets Frankie Collins, guard from Arizona State who committed to TCU, and USC wing Kobe Johnson who chose to go across town to rival UCLA, likely commanded highly lucrative NIL packages that SDSU was not able to match.

Up next we take a look at another transfer portal target in forward Rashaun Agee of Bowling Green.

Stay tuned for more updates and podcasts through Sons of Montezuma social media channels covering the transfer portal and the Aztecs signees for the 2024-2025 season.